U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley ( IL-05 ), Vice-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, Barbara Lee ( CA-13 ), Jared Polis ( CO-02 ), Debbie Wasserman Schultz ( FL-23 ), Diana DeGette ( CO-01 ) and Alcee Hastings ( FL-20 ) led a bipartisan letter signed by more than 100 House colleagues calling on Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) Commissioner Robert M. Califf to end the blood-donation deferral policy for men who have sex with men ( MSM ) once and for all.
U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin ( D-WI ) and Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) led a similar bipartisan letter in the Senate with 22 of their colleagues.
The current policy for MSM requires a 12-month deferral, or celibacy, period before being able to donate blood.
"In light of the tragic mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, we write to highlight the urgent need to draw continued attention to the unsound FDA blood donation deferral policy for men who have sex with men ( MSM )," the letter says, in part. "Given the target, nature and timing of this particular attack, the LGBT community is especially eager to contribute to the response effort. Yet, due to the MSM deferral policy, many healthy gay and bisexual men are prohibited from donating desperately needed blood.
A copy of the letter is at quigley.house.gov/sites/quigley.house.gov/files/SIL05DC-MU216062002570.pdf.